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App structure

Apps are structured to work seamlessly with the Shopify admin and to provide an intuitive experience for merchants.

Anchor to AnatomyAnatomy

Apps consist of a few navigation elements and the app body, which is the center of your app's experience. An app is made up of the following areas:

  1. The Shopify admin

    Where your app lives, alongside the merchant's other tools and workflows.

  2. App nav

    Lets merchants move between your app's pages, from the sidebar in the Shopify admin or the header in Shopify mobile.

  3. App header

    Holds the main structural pieces, such as the app icon, name, and actions.

  4. Page header

    Displays the current page's title and its primary and secondary actions.

  5. Overflow menu

    Reserved for support information, such as About this app and Support.

  6. App body

    Where your app's main experience lives, and where merchants spend most of their time.

App navigation is strictly configured, and it's an important part of providing a great merchant experience. For more details, refer to the navigation guidelines.

An app in the Shopify admin. Numbered indicators show the Shopify admin (labeled 1), app nav (labeled 2), app header (labeled 3), page header (labeled 4), overflow menu (labeled 5), and app body (labeled 6).

Anchor to App bodyApp body

The app body is where your app's main experience lives.

Be sure to follow the layout guidelines when you choose a layout for the app body.

The app body highlighted within the Shopify admin.

Anchor to App windowApp window

App window is a focused environment for specific immersive tasks.

The app window utilizes the following areas of the app interface:

  1. App window header

    A top bar that renders a primary and a secondary action.

  2. App body

    Where you add all the content for a full-screen experience.

An empty max modal with the modal header at the top and an empty modal body below.

Anchor to When to use app windowWhen to use app window

Use app window when merchants need to complete a focused task, where leveraging the full viewport improves the user experience.

The following are some example use cases:

  • Complex editing experiences, such as an editor for creating newsletter content
  • Immersive experiences, such as an editor for cropping and modifying images
  • Previews, such as an app that adds elements to a product page and enables merchants to preview changes
The Puzzlify template editor in a max modal with a wireframed title bar.

Anchor to BehaviorBehavior

App window launches only after merchants interact with a button that indicates the entire canvas will be used.

A modal header with a secondary button labeled 'Change puzzle template' and a primary button labeled 'Save'.

Primary navigation for the app should be shown in the top bar of the app window and the primary actions should not be duplicated.

A dialog box that reads 'Your template has unsaved changes. Changes will be lost if you leave without saving'. There is a primary button that's labeled 'Save Changes' and a secondary button that's labeled 'Leave without saving'.

If there are unsaved changes, prompt merchants to save before exiting full-screen mode.

A modal with the title 'Are you sure you want to exit?' and text 'You're about to leave the template editor and go back to the Puzzlify home page.'. The modal has a secondary button with the label 'No, I want to stay' and a primary button with the label 'Yes, I'm sure'.

Avoid unnecessarily interrupting a merchant's workflow when exiting app window.

An image of a link in the Shopify navigation bar launching a full-screen experience.

Your app should not launch full-screen or the app window from the app nav. Instead, they should launch from the app body. This is an app store requirement.

A max modal that contains a fullscreen bar.

Avoid using the FullscreenBar within an app window, as it results in redundant mechanisms to dismiss the app window.

Anchor to Admin UI extensionsAdmin UI extensions

Use admin UI extensions to integrate more deeply with the Shopify admin and create cohesive merchant workflows.

Choose from the following extensions:

  1. Admin block

    A card that surfaces your app's data or functionality on a resource detail page.

  2. Admin action

    A modal that lets merchants complete a task from the More actions menu.

  3. Admin link

    A menu entry that sends merchants from the admin to a page in your app.

  4. Bulk action

    An action that operates on multiple items selected from an index page.

Additional admin extensions are available for more specific use cases.

Admin blocks (labeled 1) live in the body area of the admin. Admin actions (labeled 2) live in the more actions dropdown. And Admin links (labeled 3) also live in the more actions dropdown.
An admin action modal.
The bulk action menu at the bottom of an index page.
An app block card being used for promotion. The block is labeled 'Install companion app'. There is a secondary button that reads 'Install companion app' and another secondary button that reads 'Write a review'.

The extension can't be used to display promotions or advertisements. This includes promoting your app, related apps, or requesting app reviews. This is an app store requirement.

Anchor to App attributionApp attribution

Shopify will badge all admin UI extensions with the app icon, name, and a link to your app URL.

Hovering over the app attribution indicator reveals the full app name and color logo.

The app attribution component displays your app's logo and extension name as it displays in the Shopify App Store.

Anchor to When to use admin blocksWhen to use admin blocks

Use admin block extensions to offer your app's functionality or data in the context of a resource detail page. Merchants have the option to add your app block to a page, and arrange it in the page layout.

App blocks can be embedded into Product, Order, or Customer detail pages using these targets.

Learn more about admin blocks.

The app blocks card featuring a search input and several apps.
Guidelines indicate the maximum height of an app block.

Contents should be less than 600px in height, to avoid overly tall app blocks. If necessary, implement pagination to ensure that this requirement is met.

A simple form with several input fields.

Input fields should be visible at all times. If necessary, app blocks should trigger app actions to ensure that this requirement is met.

An example of an app block featuring an empty state and a non-empty state.

Your block should have an empty state that informs merchants about what your app block does. For example, it should tell merchants what data will display in the block.

A simple app block form with the Shopify contextual save bar visible. The bar indicates that there are unsaved changes, and includes buttons to discard or save changes.

Inputs in your block can work with the contextual save bar by using the form component, which provides merchants with a familiar save and validation experience.

Anchor to When to use admin actionsWhen to use admin actions

Use admin action extensions to offer merchants quick access to common actions that they might do with your app. Because apps can add an unlimited number of admin actions, use discrete actions for discrete purposes.

App actions can be targeted to these targets.

Learn more about admin actions.

Multiple admin actions from the same app in the 'More actions' menu.

Apps can have multiple admin action extensions, which display in the More actions menus.

An app block modal with height guidelines overlayed.

Avoid action content that exceeds 1200px and avoid using more than two steps of pagination. Otherwise, your app can be difficult to navigate.

Anchor to When to use admin links and bulk actionsWhen to use admin links and bulk actions

If your content doesn't fit well within the format of the block or action, then use an admin link or bulk action instead. If an interaction is complex, such as one that requires more screen space, then routing merchants into your app is a better experience.

Examples include a multi-step process, a very long form with multiple dynamic sections, or a complex editor with several columns.

A wireframe of an open 'More actions' menu.

Admin links show up in the More actions menus.

A wireframe of a listing page with a floating 'More actions' menu at the bottom.

Bulk actions show up in the More actions menu of bulk actions controls.

Anchor to Combining extensionsCombining extensions

Use app actions and blocks together to provide a more focused merchant experience.

An abstracted image of an app block triggering an app action.

An admin block can trigger an admin action. For more information, refer to the extension custom protocol.

An app block and app action with identical content.

Avoid duplicating the content of your admin blocks and admin actions. Differentiating the functionality and value of your blocks and actions helps merchants understand which extensions to use and when.

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